"
It was not just the answer he would have given to another
questioner.
"Do you not owe him justice?" asked Donal.
"Every legal advantage I ought to take for my employer."
"Even to the grinding of the faces of the poor?"
"I have nothing to do, as his employ?, with my own ideas as to what
may be equitable."
He drew the line thus hard in pure opposition to Donal.
"What then would you say if the land were your own? Would you say
you had it solely for your own and your family's good, or for that
of the tenants as well?"
"I should very likely reason that what was good for them would in
the long run be good for me too.--But if you want to know how I have
treated the tenants, there are intelligent men amongst them, not at
all prejudiced in favour of the factor!"
"I wish you would be open with me," said Donal.
"I prefer keeping my own place," rejoined Mr. Graeme.
"You speak as one who found a change in me," returned Donal. "There
is none."
So saying he shook hands with him, bade him good morning, and turned
with the depression of failure.
"I did not lead up to the point properly!" he said to himself.
CHAPTER LXXXIII.
INSIGHT.
Mr. Graeme was a good sort of man, and a gentleman; but he was not
capable of meeting Donal on the ground on which he approached him:
on that level he had never set foot. There is nothing more
disappointing to the generous man than the way in which his absolute
frankness is met by the man of the world--always looking out for
motives, and imagining them after what is in himself.
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